IIPI Presents at USPTO Enforcement Academy

Talk Focuses on Economic Benefits of IP

The International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI) took part in the most recent Intellectual Property Enforcement Academy event, organized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Presenting at the event on behalf of IIPI were Executive Director Eric Garduno and Research Associate Phil Decker, whose presentations focused on the role of intellectual property in economic growth.

The USPTO has in recent years stepped up its efforts to provide basic education on intellectual property issues to foreign delegations, spurred primarily by the growing attention on the lack of intellectual property enforcement around the world. A semi-regular activity coming from this effort has been the IP Enforcement Academy – usually a week long seminar that involves both US Government and Industry presentations. This particular IP Enforcement Academy hosted a delegation representing several countries from the Middle East and North Africa.

Phil Decker began IIPI’s presentation by presenting a review of recent economics literature that demonstrate correlations between the level of intellectual property enforcement and technological innovation, technology transfer and economic growth. Eric Garduno followed with a discussion of real world examples on how intellectual property could be used to promote local innovation and economic growth. His presentation included a discussion on patent intelligence, public-private technology transfer and performing rights collecting societies.